Waikawa Newsletter March 2023 — updated
Kia ora e hoa mā,
There's been so much going on for me lately I completely forgot to include the wonderful cartoon below, supplied by a local. It's too good to leave out. Everything else below is the same.
This monthly panui is based on posts I've written during the month, with added sprinkles. If you'd like to automatically receive posts by email as they are published subscribe at https://waikawanews.nz/subscribe/
Equinox has been and gone so now the length of daylight grows shorter bit by bit. On Sunday 02 April 2023 though we put the clocks back an hour, so everything will shift around anyway.
A small group gathered by the Manga Pirau Street beach entrance the other evening for half an hour and enjoyed looking at the stars we could see through the scattered cloud (after a day of clear blue sky). Some were amazed at how many stars they could see with binoculars. We may do it again mid-winter — perhaps you'll join us next time?
Moon, Venus and Bird above sea, sand and river.
We may take dark skies for granted, but I have blog buddies in other parts of the world who can only dream of taking a trip to a place where they can see the Milky Way. We need to guard our dark skies carefully.
Back in around 2012 the Horowhenua District Council engaged Boffa Miskell to do a Horowhenua Coastal Natural Character Assessment. That and other assessments ultimately led to several designations relating to the Strathnaver portion of Waikawa Beach.
The dune area west of the seaward edge of Reay Mackay Grove is designated as the Strathnaver Coastal Hazard area.
The area west of a line roughly parallel to the sea from somewhere around #146 Strathnaver Drive is designated the Strathnaver Coastal Natural Character area.
Highly endangered and very cryptic Matuku-hūrepo | Australasian Bittern crossing Strathnaver Drive within the Strathnaver Coastal Natural Character area.
The two small Strathnaver lakes, Waimarie and Te Puna a te Ora (Tranquil Waters and The Wellspring of Good Health) are designated Significant Natural Areas. The lakes were named by Ngati Wehiwehi.
Around 30 species of birds and various insects, frogs and other wildlife are supported by those lakes. The lakes are also a place of refuge for some birds that want to flee the beach when too many vehicles and people are threatening their wellbeing. See a list of all 59 or so Waikawa Beach birds.
8 Royal Spoonbills and many other birds at Lake Puna-o-te-Ora.
All of those designations are supported by strong protections which help determine what activities can and cannot take place. Basically, anything that threatens the environment and special character (such as peace and quiet) is not allowed.
People who own land there and want to build have many convenants and Resource Consent requirements.
In response to a petition from November 2021 HDC are doing some consultation around the possibility of turning one of the two pedestrian tracks to the sea off Reay Mackay Grove into a vehicle track. Consultation isn't yet open to the general public, but landholders beside the pedestrian tracks are being consulted individually.
Watch the Waikawa News blog for updates on this issue. I have observed that local sentiment against this threat to birdlife and the tranquility of the Coastal Natural Character area is very strong.
A reminder too that Councils around the country, in response to public sentiment, are restricting how and when vehicles may use beaches. The current access for vehicles is sometimes closed by Nature. That provides a good balance between limiting the damage vehicles do to wildlife and the environment while allowing activities like boat launching or whitebaiting.
Did you know, 20,000 years ago the location that is now Waikawa Beach was nowhere near the sea!
And in further consultation news, Horowhenua District Council has opened public consultation on its Long-Term Plan. That consultation includes a planned change to the rating system as well as specific items on Stormwater, and also on drinking and waste water. Also you can have a Cuppa with a Councillor once a month to discuss concerns.
I've been trying to find out exactly where the water goes to that enters the drains along Sarah and Manga Pirau Streets. The first 'answer' I received from the Council didn't tell me anything about that. I'll keep trying.
One thing I did discover though:
To prevent floodwaters from feeding back into the stormwater network and flooding properties, one-way flap valves are used. The valves do cause ponding which recedes when the rain event stops, and the water level drops. Source: Stormwater - Urban Roading & Rural - Horowhenua District Council
This stormwater query was triggered in part by the awful flooding in other parts of the North Island. Their circumstances were rare and unexpected, but with climate change such bizarre confluences of high water table, stalled and intense storms and heavy rainfall are becoming more frequent and likely.
A lot of Waikawa Beach is actually at risk of flood. If we had a terrible combination of adverse circumstances we could find ourselves flooded and potentially even cut off. Of course, a sizeable tsunami is also a threat.
Read the details and see the maps at Could Waikawa Beach flood disastrously?. I don't think it will happen, but then folks in other parts of the country didn't think it would happen to them either.
If the Hikurangi Fault ruptured in a big way over off the East Coast we could actually get a tsunami here. Weird eh!
Meanwhile the Ministry for Primary Industries sent out a reminder to not gather kai moana after storms.
The quality of water in the river has been very poor this summer. I check weekly and add the data to my page about E. Coli monitoring. As at the time of writing, the "Traffic Lights" system showed that between 01 November 2022 and 30 April 2023 we had 4 green, 11 orange, 6 red.
Roadworks are happening between Ōtaki and Ōhau over the next few weeks. Expect disruptions and delays.
The property market is very quiet. Newly for sale: 7 James Street. Recently sold: 16 James Street. Others that have been on the market a while are still listed for sale.
Links
- Waikawa Star Viewing 24 March 2023
- Our dark skies are a rare taonga
- April 2023 - discussions begin on vehicle access to the beach
- Balanced beaches: birds, babies, bikes, boats
- It was a long walk to the sea 20,000 years ago
- HDC Long Term Plan Consultation 2023
- Cuppa with a Councillor
- Could Waikawa Beach flood disastrously?
- If the Hikurangi fault ruptures we could be in trouble
- Don't gather kai moana after storms
- E. Coli monitoring
- E. Coli readings at the footbridge 2022-23
- Ōtaki to Ohau safety improvements work late March 2023
- Late March 2023 Ōhau roadworks
- For sale: 7 James Street
- Sold: 16 James Street
If you know of Waikawa Beach things that would interest others or if you have comments on this newsletter or the websites please let me know at news@wow-waikawa.nz.
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Thanks everyone for the support. I've had a lot of great feedback on my newsletters. I really appreciate that.
Me te aroha,
Miraz Jordan
WaikawaNews: https://waikawanews.nz